Meal Prep Garden Salad with Sweet & Spicy Apple Dijon Dressing

Meal Prep Garden Salad with Sweet & Spicy Apple Dijon Dressing is a fresh and Weight Watchers friendly salad that is perfect for meal prep.

This easy-to-make salad with a quick homemade dressing recipe is going to become a staple in your meal plan once you give it a try. With a low point dressing and full of zero point vegetables this salad is a perfect on-the-go lunch or side dish that can help you stay on track.

This salad is plant-based and whole foods.

What is Sweet and Spicy Apple Dijon Dressing?

Don’t let the idea of making your own dressing scare you away from trying this recipe.

This is a very easy-to-prepare salad dressing that takes only minutes to put together. It uses ingredients you might already have in your cupboards and fridge, so no need for a special trip to the grocery store.

Sweet and Spicy Apple Dijon Dressing can be served immediately or ideally chilled overnight. It will keep well for up to a week in the fridge which makes it perfect for meal-prepping this salad for your lunches.

Vinegar vs. Lemon Juice In Salad Dressing

Traditionally, this dressing is made with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. I have tried making it with both and the results are pretty much the same from either ingredient… so pick whatever you have on hand. I love using flavored balsamic vinegar but any vinegar you have on hand will work.

Want to increase the apple flavor in your dressing? Use apple cider vinegar in place of the balsamic for an easy and tasty switch.

Weight Watchers Points For Summer Garden Salad with Sweet & Spicy Apple Dijon Dressing

This salad is just 1 point on the WW Program for 2023.

Click on this link to be taken to the recipe in your WW app to calculate your points.

Ingredients for Garden Salad with Sweet & Spicy Apple Dijon Dressing

• mixed salad greens (If prepping in mason jars, romaine is recommended so it doesn’t become mushy.)
• cucumber, sliced
• grape tomatoes
• edamame or peas, thawed if frozen. (I really love the taste and texture of shelled edamame in this recipe, but it can be a bit hard to find. Peas work well, too and give you a boost of needed protein.)
• balsamic vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• applesauce

This homemade salad recipe is also…

• naturally gluten-free
• kid-friendly
• great for meal prep
• great for WW Personalized Points
• vegan
• plant-based

Should I use Sweetened or Unsweetened Applesauce?

Use unsweetened applesauce to keep your sugar, calories, and points low.

If you decide to use sweetened applesauce that it will affect the Weight Watchers points of your salad, so you will need to calculate the points value for your salad based on the applesauce that you used.

Unsweetened apple is what I used to make this recipe, and is zero points for most people.

I Don’t Like A Spicy Dressing, Can I Leave Out The Spice?

Absolutely, you can leave out the spice. The spice in this Weight Watchers friendly salad dressing comes from using spicy dijon mustard. If you prefer to not have a sweet and spicy salad dressing, it’s very easy to use regular mustard instead.

No matter which mustard you use to make your dressing, I promise that you will love how healthy and delicious this easy salad is.

Can I Add Different Vegetables To This Salad?

Yes, absolutely! This recipe was designed to be very easy and flexible. Use the ingredients you have on hand or want to use up. Mix it up with other veggies like broccoli, green beans, red peppers – whatever sounds good to you.

If you are like me, at the end of the week you like to make salads based on the fresh vegetables that you have left on hand that need to be used up. This Summer Garden Salad with Sweet & Spicy Apple Dijon Dressing is a great way to use up those vegetables before they go bad without breaking your WW points budget.

How Long Can I Store This Dressing?

You can store this salad dressing in the fridge for up to a week. If it separates when stored, just shake it before serving or giving it a quick stir with your fork.

Don’t worry – the separating does not mean that the dressing has gone bad, it’s just natural for the layers to form based on the weight of the ingredients while in the fridge. I promise it will still taste delicious.

Can I Meal Prep This Salad?

Yes! This salad is perfect for meal prep. If I am meal prepping this salad for easy on the go meals, I like to meal prep in a mason jar. When you meal prep your salad in a mason jar, you can grab one quickly when you are on the way out the door for an easy to great low point lunch or side dish.

If you want to meal prep this salad without a mason jar, I suggest keeping your salad dressing in a separate bottle for an easy application like this stainless steel container that’s perfect for lunch boxes.

How to Layer a Mason Jar Salad?

When layering a mason jar salad, you always want to put your dressing at the bottom. This is because your dressing will be the heaviest ingredient. Next, add romaine lettuce and then your veggies, or seeds if you are using them, then finally top it off with any fresh herbs or spices or other salad toppings that you prefer.

You’ll be amazed at how well a meal prep mason jar salad keeps in the fridge for a week’s lunches, and your salad ingredients will stay crisp and fresh since the dressing sits at the bottom.

How to Make Low Calorie Garden Salad

Here are step by step directions for this healthy lunch salad.

Step 1 – Gather Ingredients

First, gather all the ingredients needed to make your Summer Garden Salad with Sweet & Spicy Apple Dijon Dressing. Don’t forget to grab your mason jars or meal prep containers if you want to meal prep this sweet and spicy salad.

Step 2 – Make Dressing

In a small bowl, mix vinegar, mustard, and applesauce with a spoon.

Step 3 – Layer Salad for Meal Prep in Mason Jars

To meal prep, divide dressing into 2 large mason jars.

Top with lettuce and additional salad toppings. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Remember that if meal prepping this salad, we recommend romaine instead of Spring mix, although any salad greens taste great.

Serve and enjoy. If you are not meal prepping this salad, you can serve it in two large bowls.

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